


To The Edge

by Cry_lo_Ren



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Architects, Attempt at Humor, Awkwardness, Bakery, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Feelings, First Meetings, Fluff, Intoxication, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Light Dom/sub, Protective Kylo Ren, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed, architect kylo ren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:02:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24580498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cry_lo_Ren/pseuds/Cry_lo_Ren
Summary: You're an owner of a bakery, Kylo Ren is a worldwide famous architect. The worlds you both live in may be completely different but fate brings together those most unlikely - but if only fate didn't make it so embarrassing for you.
Relationships: Ben Solo | Kylo Ren/Reader, Ben Solo/Reader, Kylo Ren/Original Female Character(s), Kylo Ren/Reader, Kylo Ren/You
Comments: 8
Kudos: 100





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the world is my oyster.  
> but i really fucking hate oysters.
> 
> bon appetite.

From the moment your skin hit the cold air on the way out, you knew you were already tipsy. It was Halloween tradition for you and your friends to set up a giant house party and lose it until the early morning hours – something to release everyone from the hellish grips of early adult life. Only one thing was truly promised; quality costumes were as guaranteed as alcohol poisoning.

Your costume was perhaps a little cliché, but oh yes, it was extravagant. A black and flowing sheer dress grazed your ankle, with tall slits at either side reaching the tops of your thigh. The bust of your outfit was made of an opaquer and stiffer material, although left little to the imagination with a deep plunge neckline and bustier style. Silver and glittering blood-red thread wove swirling patterns into it, working downwards in a gradient. A pair of black feathery wings were perched above your shoulder blades and on your head rested an intricate black wire halo headpiece. Faux suede point-toe heels that tied around the ankles helped pull the outfit together. It had taken many sleepless nights to make this from scratch and it was beyond worth it.

Gathering the material up in your hands, you clumsily teetered into the back of a cab waiting outside your little bakery/apartment. That place was like your child - you had raised it from an empty and gaunt shell. It was previously a dull-looking office and the property had cost a bomb. You’d renovated it completely, converting the ground floor into a bakery and café, with the upper floor as your own apartment. Only now, 4 years later, were you seeing any sort of financial recovery. Smiling to yourself, you told the driver where to go before relaxing back and closing your eyes to enjoy the alcohol-induced heat that swirled in your cheeks.

Arriving at your destination took less time than you’d expected and swiftly you dug out the correct payment, handing it over with a jovial ‘thank you!’.

Hux’s house was impressive, large, and modern – the type with colossal windows and geometric shapes. It was all sharp edges and reeked of opulence _._ The friendship between you and Hux had sprouted during the early years of high school, which started as casual chattering. During high school, Hux had stuck out like a sore thumb – the overly mature boy with rigid upright posture who only went by his surname. It was likely that if anyone dared call him _Armitage,_ he would personally beat them to death – although you had managed to get away with it a handful of times. It was an unusual, unlikely companionship and it had only truly blossomed one fateful day. Prior to this fateful day, Hux was solemn and impassive – however in a matter of a day he brightened up as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Upon questioning him over his new-found attitude, he had simply replied; _‘my father died last night.’_. A part of you inside wasn’t shocked about his new attitude, a part of you had always suspected something occurring in his personal life but you were never brave enough to touch upon it – he was always touchy on the subject of family. It was that fateful day that a true, solid, and unbreakable bond was set in place. He introduced you to Phasma a few years later during a rare celebration of his birthday – the three of you had become almost inseparable. 

The house was already bustling and booming with music and people alike. A grin slid over your face in giddiness. It had been a long year and _fuck_ , you couldn’t wait.

The sound of your phone’s text tone caused you to jump a little before you reached into your purse for it. It was Hux. You frown as you attempted to decipher the text in your drunken state. Wait, no, sober Hux would _never, ever, ever,_ make that many typos in a text – clearly, he was in no better state than you. Probably worse.

_Meeett me in entnce hlaway. Tnanks._

Groaning, you ambled forwards to attempt to find the man but was temporarily distracted by a table full of various alcoholic beverages. They were all methodically labeled, causing you to smirk before grasping one, downing it in seconds. _Fucking hell, Hux made them way too strong._

At last, you managed to work your way past the table of temptations, pushing open the wide doors and into the hallway. An insane amount of people clustered in the room, making it a struggle to pinpoint your friend. A colorful array of costumes contrasted against the stark white walls; booming laughs echoed through the room as people made drunken jests to each other. In the hustle and bustle of the electric crowd, you concluded on how to find Hux: through his height. After all, he was a relatively tall man – definitely above average, so he would leer above the crowd in his stern demeanor – and probably even in his sloppier drunken demeanor. Scouring your eyes over the great mass of bodies, you landed on a tall man leaning against the wall with his back to you – there he was. You covered your mouth with your hand to stop yourself giggling at his costume, from the looks of it he was some sort of giant, muscular vampire.

You wobbled over, deer-legged due to your heels and your intoxication. Maneuvering an over-excited and extremely drunk crowd was always a struggle, sweaty bodies accidentally bumping all over the place and spilling drinks everywhere – but you kept up the fight until you were nearly there – “HEY! Hux – what the _fuck_ are you dressed as?” You exclaimed, slurring slightly before extending your arm to thwack the man, hard, right on the ass as a crude greeting, “y’know you didn’t have to go all out with all the muscle padding, the wig, you’re showing us all up out here and-”

_Wait, wait, oh fucking hell._ Instead of Hux, you saw a dark-haired man with very, very real muscles and a horrified, shocked look on his face. Red flushed your face as it dawns on you; you had just slapped the ass of a stranger – a bit aggressively too. Mortified, you began babbling, attempting to string a sentence together but nothing would form, and slowly you lifted your eyes up to meet his. Deep chocolate in colour, mixed with light honey flecks – his limbal ring dark, no, black. Gazing further down, you lingered on the sight of his full satin lips and mole-dotted skin. The epitome of beauty. Only upon concentrating did you notice that those delectable lips were curved upwards into a smirk.

His enormous hand came up to stoke across your jawline, fingers lingering and leaving a blistering heat in their wake – his thumb came up to brush momentarily across your lips. You felt your legs wobble beneath you a little, and your bottom lip quaked as a shiver worked its way through your body. The man pulled away and patted your cheek gently two times.  
  


“That was a bit forward, you know. Even for me.”

His voice was deep and enticing, perhaps flirtatious but also soft too – your breath jolted in your lungs. Hardly able to register his comment you reached forwards to brush the front of his shirt with your deft fingers – stroking down his chest in a feather-light touch. Instinctively, you licked your lips and glanced up at him to fleetingly take in his ethereal beauty before snapping your eyes away when it felt like too much. It was an internal fight to come back to your senses – part of you wished to blissfully stay like this, with the other reeling back in horror and embarrassment. A few seconds passed; the latter won.

With impeccable speed, you wrenched your hand away from the soft fabric of his white dress shirt – wait, a dress shirt? Only then did you take in his full body’s form; the man was wearing a suit. He was wearing a suit to a Halloween party – you tilted your head, screwing up your face in confusing, lips opening to ask the only question that you were able to manage, “why are you wearing a suit to a Halloween party?”

He huffed a laugh, turning his head away from you slightly in bashfulness, the tips of his ears reddening slightly. “Honestly, I’ve never been to a party like this.” He murmured with a wavering tone of nerves – a striking difference from the confidence he exuded only moments before.

You were saved from the awkward uttering of your reply by two figures coming into your peripheral vision and clapping you on the small of your back, only narrowly missing the decorative wings you wore.

“Where’ve you beeeen, bakery girl!” one voice slurred, unrefined and sloppy. The voice belonged to the man you had previously been searching for. By what you assumed from his prior text, and from what you could assume from his voice this very second, Hux truly was drunk. His usually immaculate hair was disarrayed – strands of sticking to the perspiration on his forehead, meanwhile his eyes were glazed over a little in his haze. He appeared to be dressed as a king – or a prince? Either way, he had a crown that was lopsided along with a golden scepter. You took note of that because he will likely use it as a weapon later on in the night.

You laughed at the sight, feeling the tension evaporate from you little by little. “Fucking hell, Hux,” you gasped between vicious fits of laughter, “I hope you’re looking after him, Phasma!”

The tall, blonde woman standing by your left in fully-body knight armor scoffed and grimaced, “don’t make me baby him, the idiot did this to himself in the first place.” The word sounded harsh, but her light and joking tone told a different story. For a moment she hesitated, raising her eyebrows a little as she glanced between you and the strange man.

“I see you’ve met Mr. Ren, my boss.” She spoke, casually and with mischievous purpose.

The laughter you were engulfed in just moments before came to a sudden halt, “I-I, what, your _boss_?” at this point, your jaw was slack and gaping a little bit. You glanced between Phasma and Ren, a little numb with shock.

There was very little you knew about Kylo Ren. Phasma worked directly under him at his architecture firm, and from what she told you he was talented, a breath of fresh air to the architecture community – however, you had also been told of his more unfavorable traits. These mentioned traits included his wild surges of anger that shook most employees until they crashed to the ground in trembling fear, or perhaps how he holed himself up and submerged himself into his work, letting it consume him whole. Kylo Ren was a powerhouse of a man, intense and demanding – he was also one of the most famed and influential contemporary architects in the world.

There was no way in hell that the man in front of you was _Kylo fucking Ren._ You subtly and silently analyzed Ren. He certainly didn’t seem like he was the violent, aggressive man you’d been told about.

By this point, Hux had begun to drift away from you all a little, like an unruly untethered boat and it likely wouldn’t be long until he fully disappeared. Phasma nudged you with a heavily armored shoulder and motioned her head towards Hux. “We should probably go keep up with him,” she smirked, grasping your hand to pull you away from Kylo Ren and towards the slowly vanishing Hux.

“It was nice meeting you, Mr. Ren.” You spoke softly, almost a whisper. He gave a small smile indicating that he had heard you.

“I’ll see you around, angel.” He purred equally as hushed as you were slowly dragged away from him by your friend.

_Angel._

Perhaps he was just referencing your costume, but something deep within told you he wasn’t.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You dance, you drink, you make some scones. Of course!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, the writings on the wall.  
> but i cant fucking read.

It took just under an hour to find and wrangle Hux, which was fairly quick considering how slippery he could be sometimes.

Phasma and he were squabbling as she held him in a tight headlock, ruffling his ginger hair with such enthusiasm that you could only assume that she was finding the situation greatly amusing – meanwhile Hux flapped drunkenly, his golden crown and scepter in his hand, trying to shake the blonde woman off him with red-faced huffs. You gave an unflattering snort of laughter at the scene unfolding.

“F-fuck off, guys,” the man slurred, “this is bullying and, uh, abuse of an innocent man!”

That only sent Phasma and you into a whole new wave of hysterics, enough for her to finally release the poor man in favor of grasping her aching ribs. A little crippled from laughter, you finally decided the guide everyone to get more drinks. It was still way too early to even think about sobering up in the slightest. You got their attention and gave a wild drinking motion. They seemed to catch on quickly – ambling over in a mixture of intoxication and painful ribs. Your little trio teetered across the immaculately polished white wooden flooring of Hux’s kitchen, sharing shit jokes. Half the time no one could remember the punchline to them. Finding yourself at a marble kitchen island, you took in the sheer volume of alcohol that had been dispersed. Sharing was a rigid rule at these parties – put whatever you bought on the table and you could come and go as you please, taking what you want.

Phasma had brought your contribution with her since she had actually purchased it – and she had sure as hell made sure you paid what you owed her. Rightfully so.

By the looks of it, Hux was eyeing up a dangerous looking bottle of spiced rum. He likely had little intent to mix it with anything. Phasma, however, had already picked up a can of some sort of fruity cider and was making a show of downing the entire thing in the fastest time possible before grabbing another. On the other hand, you had just spotted a bottle of pink gin that you imagined would taste great and get you hammered in record time. Grasping it, you poured a healthy amount into one of the plastic cups that were stacked on the side of the table. You decided to mix it with a bit of lemonade. The lemonade had been left out on the table for so long it was lukewarm, but that wasn’t going to hinder you in the slightest.

After grabbing what you needed, the three of you huddled on a spare sofa (which was covered in a thin plastic sheet by Sober Hux to protect its pearly whiteness from the dangers of dirt). As soon as you sat down, you launched into conversation.

“Phasma, I have one question,” you leaned forwards, finger extended accusingly, eyes narrowed, “why the _fuck_ do you invite your boss?”

The tall woman gave a loud bark of laughter before pulling a deep smirk, “it didn’t seem like you minded,” she spoke nonchalantly through her smile, “quite the opposite, actually.”

Hux interjected before you could say anything, “y-yeah, you were fluttering your eyelashes and-” he never finished the sentence but instead made a simpering face, battered his eyelashes and made wet kissing noises to make up for the lack of words.

You took a large gulp of your drink, scowling over the rim of the glass. This conversation wasn’t done yet. “Shut it guys, it’s not _my_ fault that _you_ r infamous boss just happened to be hot as fuck!” You felt your cheeks flush a little at the admission, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

Phasma and Hux both pulled scandalized faces, overly dramatized. Admitting you liked or even found a guy attractive was almost completely unheard of. You never typically allowed yourself to indulge in relationships, love, and romantic affection – work always came first for you. Eventually, you cleared your throat, “but seriously, Phasma, who in hell invites their boss to a house party?”

“I think he’s lonely.” Her statement was simple, she even shrugged when saying it. Flicking her short hair back with a fluid movement she took a gulp of her drink, smiling over the rim of the glass, “he reminds me of you, working too much and suffering because of it.”

“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” Hux quipped in. If he wasn’t so pathetically drunk, he would’ve looked serious, eyebrows furrowed, and fist clenched in front of him.

“Hi pot, meet kettle!” you scoffed at Hux, “I’ve literally seen you fall asleep working at your office desk, then wake up and keep working. And also, that totally sounds like a ‘live, laugh, love’ kinda quote!”

The three of you laughed loudly, the previous conversation was forgotten as you all slowly began plotting Hux’s method for taking over the world via posting shitty inspirational quotes on Instagram. Within minutes you were wiping tears of laughter from your eyes, howling as Phasma visualized a dystopian future with the fearsome Hux as leader of the world.

“Long live Supreme Leader Hux!” You shouted without care as you quickly cascaded into bursts of laughter.

The time was nearing half two in the morning, the night was at its peak. Music was pulsating through the house, the vibrations shaking through bodies and walls with relentless vigor.

You were now in middle of the living room, which had become a makeshift dancefloor, moving your body in alcohol-influenced and provocative motions. At this point of the night, you had strayed from your friends. Phasma was currently busy either flirting or interrogating a handsome ash-brown haired man with olive skin. It was hard to tell which action she was performing as she was leaning towards him, resting on the wall with her arms crossed. Hux on the other hand was having a deep, intense conversation with a guy with soft black curly hair- although they seemed to be edging closer to one another with each word, slowly closing the gap between them.

You, however, were lost in the music, moving your arms and hips in delicate movements while simultaneously dodging the wandering digits of handsy men. These moments were precious and rare. A moment, fleeting but blissful – and in many years maybe it will be remembered. Maybe not. Either way, you were happy.

By this point, you were sweating heavily. On the verge of panting with exhaustion, you pushed your way out of the bouncing crowd to get a drink. Your dry throat was craving relief as you half walked half wobbled away. However, you were distracted as you emerged from the dancing throng.

The solemn face of Kylo Ren was visible in the corner, his body hunched over his drink, sitting by himself. Dark tendrils of his hair drooped over his handsome features. _He really is lonely._ You gave a melancholy smile before mustering up all the confidence and bravery you had, This wasn’t very difficult since alcohol did wonders for your courage. To the beat of the music, you bopped towards him, slowly progressing until you were prancing in front of him. Extending your hand out towards the man, you gave a small and coy smile.

“Care to dance with me, Mr. Ren?”

He looked startled that you had asked him, simply gazing at the outstretched hand before him with perplexed awe. Slowly and unsurely, he moved and took your hand. His hand was enormous in comparison to yours.

“It’d be a pleasure, angel.” A pleasant smile made its way onto his face as he stood up, towering over your shorter frame.

You melted into a little puddle at the nickname, at the size of his hand, at his height. You melted simply because of _him._ The way you felt when his eyes fell on you was unlike any other feeling you’d felt before, it intensified as you met his look, looking up at him through your eyelashes. It was unusual to feel this way, you barely knew the man - but your heart seemed to beat louder when near him, almost as if it was calling out to him. The feeling sobered you little.

Guiding him into the bustling crowd, you gave him an encouraging smile as he visibly tensed up – he probably wasn’t used to this sort of setting. Squishing his hand with yours, you began to dance, swaying in time with the music, keeping a quick but manageable pace. He started to copy the movements you made, a little awkwardly but nevertheless it was a grand improvement from the solemn and lonely soul you saw just a moment before.

After a while you began to feel more comfortable, shimmying closer to him and dancing more sensually. You carefully watched his expression in case he showed any unease at your behavior – however, he surprised you. His eyes darkened; pupils were blown wide in carnal desire. His spare hand pressed against the curve of your waist, slowly descending down to rest against your hip.

Ren gave a quiet yet animalistic growl as he pressed your body flush with his. The tips of your ears and the peak of your cheeks burnt at the intimacy. Frankly, you were starved of it. You still held one of his hands in yours, but your other hand stroked the expanse of his bicep. It was strong and powerful, solid to the touch. The muscle quivered under the touch.

As if you were in some sort of romance movie, the music became slower. Romantic. The type of music that would usually be played during a slow dance at prom or something. You swallowed, unsure of what to do. Once again you found yourself watching him, but he had changed once more.

That primal, lustful urge behind his eyes was now gone, and now he just stood with his body pressed against yours. He was just as uncertain as you. Abruptly he cleared his throat, releasing you from his tight hold in favor of looking at the time on his watch. It was now half-past three.

Ren seemed to slowly become aware of the intimacy the pair of you were sharing. Perhaps too aware. He swore gently under his breath at the time, “s-shit, I’ve got to go,” he pulled away from you hastily, “I’ll see you around, I suppose.”

With that, he left you.

You watch as he left, quickly evaporating in the dense mass of people. He didn’t even glance back. It hurt a little, you had to admit but you supposed it was partially your fault for thinking the pair of you had something _special._ You barely fucking knew each other. _Ah, shit._ What else did you expect?

Your face screwed up into a scowl, you pushed out of the crowd to get that drink you’d long forgotten about.

The hum of city life brought you back to consciousness. The hum of car engines and scattered chatter of people was comforting as you lay in cool, crisp bedsheets. Pale, soft light was beginning to filter into the room, red behind your closed eyelids. You groaned as you became aware of your pounding head and dry mouth. With effort, you used your overly heavy arms to push you into a sitting up position. The movement made your head feel like it was going to split open at its seams. It took a lot of strength and willpower to not just crawl into a hole and die.

You were immensely relieved to hear gentle clattering from the floor below you. That meant that your most loyal employee kept to his word and came in early. Picking up your phone to check the time, you noticed a text from Phasma.

_I hope you’re suffering. Serves you right for getting yourself so pissed that I had to take you home myself, idiot xxxxx_

It only then dawned on you that you couldn’t remember how the fuck you got home, but the text seemed to clear that up. Did you really get that drunk just because you got brushed off by a guy? You needed to get it together.

The brightness of your phone was causing your head to throb with a renewed spirit, but you texted Phasma back a sarcastic apology and a slightly more genuine thank you. Just as you set your phone down again, there was a quiet knock on your bedroom door. You let out a grunt of acknowledgment and the door opened.

Finn popped his head in, grinning at your incapacitated state. “Not feeling well, huh?” he asked while you glared at him, “well, suck it up ‘cause we’re busy, come down and help me.”

Your eyebrows raised, “it’s like, what, half eight in the morning? How the hell is it already busy?”

“We got a big-ass order from some intern, it was weird. Poor thing looked rushed off her feet.”

You leaned your head back until it touched the cool, dark leather of the bed’s headboard. The other employees weren’t due until ten which left you little choice. “Shit, fine,” you groaned, mumbling through your hands that now covered your face, “I’ll be down in five minutes.”

At that, Finn seemed sated and disappeared from the doorway.

The pressure in your head almost reached breaking point as you hauled your body into a standing position, and honestly, you were simply proud that you hadn’t immediately vomited all over. Pulling articles of clothing onto your aching body was more of a task than you had initially thought. You managed, pulling on a white high collar shirt and a pair of black, form-fitting trousers and slid on a pair of black, flat loafers. For makeup, you kept to the basics today; a slight covering of bb cream, a little powder to fill in your eyebrows, and a little brown eyeliner to soften your eyes. Satisfied with your appearance, you finished your usual morning routine before ambling downstairs.

Finn was waiting for you, pressing a glass of water and painkiller into your hands as soon as you descended. Being in no place to argue, you took them willingly with a thank you, gulping down the pill quickly. It’d probably take a while for it to kick in, so you threw yourself into work.

Drinking the rest of the water, you put the glass into the sink before grasping your apron and tying it around your waist. Washing your hands, you glanced at the long order list with intrigue. Orders like this were unusual. _It must be for a big company,_ you noted.

“Hey, Finn!” you called out for the man.

“Huh?” he called in return, emerging into your vision.

“How far are you through the order?”

“Well I’ve already made and set more pastries and muffins in the oven since we don’t have enough to cover the café stock and the order with the stuff we’ve premade, but we really need to get onto making more scones – I haven’t had time to get to those yet!” he explained, rushing past you to check the mentioned items in the ovens.

“Damn, okay then, I’ll get started on those then,” you huffed, already stressed out by the situation, “we’ll take turns to check the out front for customers.”

Finn gave you a quick thumbs-up, dark chocolate eyes glittering with the electric buzz of excitement, stress, and pressure. You paused a moment, mulling something over.

“Are these items being delivered or collected?” you questioned, grasping, and measuring out large quantities of flour.

“Oh, the intern girl requested a delivery.” He shrugged, keeping up his hard work.

 _Damn it._ That meant you’d probably have to haul a ginormous collection of baked goods around – at least they must be near-by after all your little bakery/café mix up only did local deliveries. It was much too small at the moment to do anything else.

“I guess that’s my job then, huh?” you sighed, beginning to rub in the mixture of flour and butter with your hands, “where am I delivering to, then?” You might as well find out now so you could plot the fastest route possible.

“Oh, uh, Ren Architects, I believe.”

_Wait a minute... What?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ummmmmm.... Delivery!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can cry over spilled milk if you want. it can be fucking annoying.   
> also it stinks if you don't clean it properly so. yeah. cry.
> 
> hope this chapter wasn't too shit. hhhhh lol

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Finn queried, looking at your astonished face.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” you answered quickly, “nothing at all, I’m just very fucking tired.”

The man scoffed and frowned, clearly not believing a single word but played along for your sake, “yeah, I can tell ‘cause you look like shit.” He barked a warm, loud laugh at that.

You clutched your imaginary pearls in the equally imaginary offense – your mouth gaping open in horror and shock, “I could very easily fire you for that.” You retorted in good humor. In all honesty, the entire bakery would probably be in flames without Finn. He saved you multiple times from being overwhelmed and was a powerhouse member of your staff.

Finn responded with a scoff of evident disbelief and quirked an eyebrow, returning to his work -leaving you to dwell on the morning’s biggest mystery: Ren Architects. This technically could all be a massive coincidence, it’s not like you haven’t had big orders before, but it was certainly the first time you had received an order from a place so famous and widely known. It was also the company owned and founded by the man who you’d shamelessly danced with not that long ago. And also ditched you. Perhaps this was an attempt at an apology? Although that wouldn’t really make sense since he didn’t even know your name or where you worked.

With the number of goods that were being ordered, it suggested an event of some kind; a formal party or something. Therefore you found it very difficult to even suggest that the owner of a company would engage in such a lowly and meager task as party planning. It likely wasn't the damn owner of the company. Idiot.

That made something click in your head. _Phasma_. Ah, you bet that this was all her doing. She was high enough in the company ranks to be trusted with planning – and not at the impeccably high tier in which she could avoid it. You knew that she was something like an architecture consultant – good pay but required clear thinking and stern decision making. No wonder she thrived at the job.

Hah, so maybe you were overthinking this situation. Phasma probably got stuck with event duties and decided to help you out a little. If there was a good response from such a prestigious company, others would follow suit; it would boost your little bakery into something much greater.

You made a mental memo to thank Phasma when you delivered the items and were about to plunge your hands back into the mixture when there was the soft chime of the door, notifying you that a customer had arrived.

It took a short while to scrape and wash the scone mixture off your hands before you walked through the kitchen door that led to the area behind the counter.

The bakery you owned was relatively small, only fitting 5 or so tables inside – with a couple outside for when the weather was good. It had a rustic aesthetic with nice neutral wooden tones and a few exposed brick walls. The large window created soft lighting; it wasn’t too bright or too dull. Hanging plants stooped from the ceiling, an array of green devil’s ivy and soft purple wisterias. Dried flowers hung upside down too, to help neutralize the intense green color with it’s earthy and straw browns. It would be a lie to say that you didn’t blow a lot of your budget on the interior design aspect of your business, but you didn’t regret it one single bit.

Emerging from the door, you looked for the customer. A smile came to your face once you realized who it was. Hux raised a pale hand in greetings, his ginger hair was slicked back neatly, and his eyes were obscured by dark, golden rimmed sunglasses (they were likely some sort of expensive, a luxury brand such as Saint Laurent or from a Cartier collection). The suit he wore was crisp, unmarried, and, if you were honest, looked a little uncomfortably stiff. If you squinted hard enough, you were very sure you saw shoulder padding. It made him look like he was wearing an old military uniform – only as a suit. In his left hand, he carried a black leather messenger bag.

The day was Friday, one of the rare days of the week that Hux actually had to show up at his office. Most of the time he worked from home, where he was most efficient. He did some sort of finance work and you understood none of it. You didn’t even bother trying to understand and Hux had long grown tired of attempting to explain it to you. Either way, his income made him filthy rich (or it would have if he weren’t already rich since the day he was born – old family money and such). On the rare days he went into the offices, he stopped by your café-bakery hybrid. His order was always the same and had never once changed since the day you opened.

You let out a small laugh, breathy, and full of surprise. “Damn, I didn’t think you’d actually make it today!” you chirped at him a little too loud which caused your head to throb slightly in protest.

The man lifted his sunglasses to rest them on his head and narrowed his eyes in response to the slight brightness of the room, “ugh please, you think too little of me.” He smirked. There was no doubt that he was feeling the effects of his previous inebriation, but you had to admit that you were incredibly jealous of how little it showed on his appearance – however, he always had dark circles under his eyes so it was hard to tell if he was hungover or, well, normal. At least he seemed to have avoided the slight feverish sheen of sweat that you were slowly developing.

“True, you’ve never missed a day yet,” you were already in motion before asking the question, working the coffee machine, “you want the usual I’m assuming?”

“God, you know me so well.” Hux began settling on a small table nearest to the counter – setting his back on the opposite seat.

“I know you well and you’re also a creature of habit, Hux.”

He tutted at your response, “it’s called being organized and refined, actually.”

You rolled your eyes, placing a black coffee and a Danish pastry. The coffee was specifically made with the type of beans that had an absurd amount of caffeine in; it was less flavorsome but Hux didn’t really give a shit as long as he could power through his day at an inhuman pace.

He was almost always busy in the mornings so when he picked up his ringing phone, you simply shrugged and gave a small wave of goodbye before retreating to the kitchens to continue your work.

The immediate scent of baking flooded your senses as you realized that Finn had already managed to take the products out of the ovens – they were now cooling, set on layers of a large cooling rack. Finn had taken over the scone mixture and had now progressed to using the cutters to create individual circles of dough. You thanked him gratefully, sliding over some egg wash for him to use.

You glanced briefly at a clock on the wall to check the time; it was quarter to ten in the morning. More employees would be arriving soon. Time had passed swiftly already, and you could already feel your headache ebb away. The effects of only a few hours of sleep were getting to you, however. It took an effort to muffle soft yawns. _Fuck, you were tired._ You kind of deserved it for staying out so late.

Sucking up your feeling of exhaustion, you picked up large box packaging that you reserved for large orders and began setting items in there – starting with the premade stuff. The freshly baked items would have to wait; the condensation would make a disgustingly soggy box.

You heard the chiming of the door again and disappeared through the front again. Smiling at the familiar faces, you greeted them with enthusiasm.

“Rose! Poe! Thank God you’re both here!” The relief you felt was immense. The pair of them were hard workers – even if they were sometimes distracted in their little competition to earn Finn’s affections. It was all in good fun and never made anyone uncomfortable, so you just watched their antics with amusement. Who was winning in the little competition? It was impossible to tell with Finn’s impressively professional and neutral attitude – even if you could tell he relished in the attention.

“You sound damn happy to see us,” Poe noticed, a smirk on his handsome face, “we busy or something?”

“Oh, you have no idea, we got a big order today. Like, _big_ , big.” You explained, waving your hands in the air for emphasis and after sharing a few more words they got the hint and burst into action. New customers walked in, so you remained at the counter to serve them.

Time basically dissolved, with you only occasionally popping your head through the kitchen door to check on the progress. Hux had long since disappeared from the small table to immerse himself in his work. Eventually, Rose ducked her head through the door to tell you that everything was done and ready to go.

You swallowed the slight nervousness you felt and walked to the kitchen to grab the box. “You sure that everything is in here, yeah?” you asked, just to confirm so you didn’t make an absolute fool out of yourself and your bakery.

“Definitely, I’m certain.” Finn gave you a thumbs up.

Nodding, you disappeared with the box while giving a quick instruction for someone to take over the counter.

You had already planned your journey and you knew it would only take ten minutes at most. The only reason you knew where Ren Architects was because you met Phasma there occasionally – but it was always outside and never inside. It was daunting to imagine being inside somewhere so prestigious,

Before you knew it, you had arrived. Your back and forehead were a little shiny with sweat, the result of carrying the box. It hadn’t initially been that heavy but walking with it had taken a slight toll. The outside of the building was dark, a deep grey, almost black and it was imposing. It was an elaborate building – a showcase of the company’s talents and abilities. Large expanses of glass revealed the relatively few numbers of floors the building had, the windows materials looked almost like a mirror – opaque and unyielding. The entrance was clear in the form of sleek revolving doors.

You took a deep, calming inhale before pressing yourself through the doors. In all honesty, revolving doors were a nightmare; the fear of getting smacked in the face by the rotating slabs of glass prevailed so you had to time your entrance exactly right. You were unsure if anyone else seemed to struggle with this sort of thing or if you were just inherently clumsy.

Nevertheless, you _and_ the box made it through the door without any embarrassing mishaps.

You looked around, taking in the entrance’s appearance of sleek marble floor tiles and fresh white walls. Gazing around a little more, you finally noticed the reception desk and made your way towards in.

“Uh, I’ve got a deliv-” before you could even finish, the woman at the desk cut you off.

“Take it to room 2A on the fifth floor.” She uttered without even looking at you. Her bluntness surprised you a little, but you shrugged it off. At least you knew where you were meant to be going now, even if you didn’t know how to get there. You would surely figure it out. No problem.

So you maneuvered yourself to the right of the desk where the elevators were before swiftly pressing the button to call one down. It seemed as if one was already on the ground floor as it opened immediately. You walked into it and selected the fifth floor.

A soft ding notified you that you had arrived. The fifth floor was likely the top floor, there was the option for floor 6 on the elevator but it likely just reached the roof.

The fifth floor was quiet – but then again so was most of the building so far. The only problem you had was: _where the hell is room 2A?_ There were no markings on the door, no indicator to the room where you were meant to go. You opened the first door you saw, and it was empty. Was this your room or not? Dammit, you wish you hadn’t forgotten your phone otherwise you could’ve texted Phasma for some help.

You continued to open each door you saw, only to met with empty boardrooms and offices. Heaving a sigh, you approached the final door. If this one was equally as empty, you considered just crawling into one of them and dying there. This floor seemed so empty that you doubted that anyone would even find your rotting corpse.

Only a moment away from opening the door, it opened itself, causing you to shriek in fright and surprise, your heart racing. Thankfully, the box remained in your arms. You looked upwards, stuttering an apology.

“S-sorry, I didn’t think anyone would actually be up here, every other room here has been damn empty, er, sorry…” You looked upwards to find a face to continue apologizing to and you had a second consecutive heart attack. “Hi! It’s you!” You exclaimed lamely, cringing at your words.

Kylo Ren stood in front of you, his immense height towering over you. You didn’t understand why you felt so damn awkward and nervous, feeling small beads of sweat pearling on the palm of your hands that clutched desperately at the box. He didn’t look surprised to see you.

“Excellent observation, it _is_ me.” He raised an eyebrow, playful sarcasm dripping from his voice.

 _Fuck_. How did this man alternate from being awkward and shy to confident and formidable? Right now you were in panic mode, gaping up at him and completely unsure of what to say. So, naturally, you did the most graceless thing ever.

You shoved your arms out, the box in between your hands and looked directly into his deep brown eyes.

“Delivery!” You almost shouted with a strained smile on your face. That was it. That was all you managed to muster.

_Ah, shit. I'm being weird._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DATE. DATE?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a penny for my thoughts??   
> keep your money, my mind is emptier than my bank account. 
> 
> anyway, a new chapter. this took ages 'cause this week has been absolute dog shit and every little annoyance has sent me into a hissy fit lmaoo

The searing heat of embarrassment surged into your face as he stared at you blankly. It would be perfectly accurate to say that you wanted the ground beneath your feet to swallow you whole and trap you forever.

Your strained smile was certainly looking increasingly pained by the second, to be honest, it was probably looking less like a smile and more like a grimace. The animal instinct of fight or flight began creeping into your body – begging you to just dump the box and sprint out of the damned building as fast as you possibly could. You risked a glance upwards towards Kylo Ren’s face which had turned from surprised blankness to an amused smirk.

He let out a stifled laugh at your clear embarrassment, using one rather large hand to help muffle the laughter. Well, at least he had the civility to act like he wasn’t finding your demise hilarious. He stepped aside slightly, using his other hand to point to his desk, a U-shaped executive in deep red mahogany. A gesture that indicated for you to put the box down on the desk.

With a sight dip of your head in understanding, you shuffled past him to put it down. The sound of his deep, rumbling voice caught your attention.

“Phasma told me it would be a good idea to make amends,” he started, a little quickly – as if he hadn’t meant to tell you that, “you know, for last night. She told me you were… upset.”

You paused, raising an eyebrow. _Damn Phasma, you snitch._ There was a mixture of emotions rushing through you. The man clearly cared enough to ‘make amends’ but it irritated you that this act seemed like fuelled by pity rather than anything else.

“I _really_ don’t need your pity.” A huff left your body, shrugging as you acted nonchalantly.

His dark eyes widened, rounding in disbelief at your sudden change of attitude. Pale hands threaded through thick, ebony hair as he swore gently under his breath. “I didn’t mean it like that, I just-” he seemed uncertain on what he wanted to say, or at least how he wanted to word it.

Raising your hands and spreading your fingers in a sort of surrender, “Hey, listen, it’s fine, you don’t owe me anything.” Your heart ached a little in protest, silently begging you to latch onto any sign of affection from the man. _What the hell are you thinking_? You’d only met this man last night, only spending fleeting and meager moments together and yet he had made such an impact. The corners of your mouth weakly lifted as you traipsed towards the door.

Just as you brushed passed Kylo, you felt his hand dart out and clutch the sleeve of your shirt almost frantically. The action caused you to falter, glancing back at him with a curious expression – your mouth a little agape as a small ‘huh?’ echoed from the back of your throat.

The pair of you seemed to just stay like that for few lingering beats, with the cuff of your white shirt pinched tightly in the fingers of his left hand as you peered into his eyes. There was something in those obsidian pools that you couldn’t quite fathom. The tension was so encompassing that you almost startled when he spoke.

“I just wanted an opportunity to ask if you wanted to, well,” Kylo seemed nervous again, his right hand wandering to weave through his mane of hair, “… do you want to get lunch with me?”

You must have remained silent and gaping for too long as he released your sleeve as if it was searing hot and backed away from you while murmuring that it was a stupid idea, that he should’ve even asked and that he was sorry for putting you on the spot like that.

Panic bubbled in your heart, causing it to flicker in irregular beats. You carefully stepped towards him, making your move of acceptance. “I’d love to.” Your voice came out softer than usual; more subdued. The way he had reeled back from you when you had remained silent was peculiar to you and caused you to silently ponder the reasonings for it. Phasma did tell you that he was a lonely, solitary man and maybe all that time had worn him down into insecurity. It was strange seeing how quickly he could change from confidence to hesitant and timid.

You felt his gaze rest upon your face and your stomach flipped, your chest fluttered. He was looking at you with a hidden softness. Unusual. In each of your experiences and interactions, you had never yet even caught a glimpse of the surges of rage he was said to have – instead, he was a puddle (a damn tall, broad, and well-built puddle at that) of timidity.

Just like that, his air of confidence was back. His back straightened and his face returned to a more neutral and impassive form. “How about now then? If you’re free, that is.” Kylo asked, folding his arms, and raising an eyebrow with. Yes, his confidence was certainly back in full form. You were going to get whiplash from this man.

“Now is good. Perfectly good. Great.” You uttered, slowly recovering from his newly recovered confident aura.

With that, he led you through the city streets. Now that your blunt fieriness had burnt out you felt the awkward tension. Meanwhile, he talked much more casually now, more relaxed. You were the complete opposite. Your small fits of anxious laughter had occurred multiple times on your walk which reddened your cheeks and you had to walk in rapid strides to keep up with his long legs.

It was a relief when he finally held the door of a restaurant open to allow you to slip in before him. The place was incredible. Curved black leather booths surrounded circular tables covered in snowy white tablecloths, the monochromatic palette of the restaurant gave it an air of modernity, sophistication, and a bit of minimalism. Upon the ceiling were lightbulbs encased in geometric shapes, hanging like pendants. You couldn’t help but gaze around.

You small sinking feeling in your stomach, “Mr. Ren, this place is amazing, but I probably can’t afford a single thing here.” The sinking feeling plummeted further as you remembered you were still wearing your little bakery outfit, “and I’ve not dressed properly this place-”

Kylo interrupted you with a single look, stopping you mid-sentence. “Firstly, just call me Kylo. Secondly, I invited you, so I will pay. Thirdly, you are dressed perfectly fine. If you weren’t, I would’ve have put you in this position and taken you here.”

His quick and blunt answers caused you to tilt your head as you peered upwards. You met his eyes and the pair of you shared a mutual look. You smiled, “okay, Kylo.”

A satisfied smile found it’s way on his face as he once again took the lead, moving forwards to a woman while you followed after him like a lost puppy, a little out of your depth. The woman appeared to recognize him and guided the two of you to your booth. You slipped into the booth from one side, while Kylo went to the other side, and you decided to sit so that you were positioned relatively close to him, rotating your body to help face him better.

Menus were handed out. The wine menu was copious, so full of different bottles and selections, while the food menu had a whole bunch of delicacies that you would probably have trouble pronouncing. Your nose crinkled at the word _foie gras_. The idea did make your stomach turn a little.

You scanned through the list of foods available, desperate to find something more inexpensive. At last, you did, spotting something both price considerate and appetizing to your tastes.

The proximity you shared with him made your insides writhe. You began hyperaware of each and every one of your actions. Eyes flickering towards him as he shrugged off his suit’s jacket, watching how his eyes furrowed in concentration, the way his muscles visually shifted under his clothes with each movement.

From this distance, you could faintly catch his scent, a mixture of sweet rosewood and bitter coffee. You could see his chest rise and fall with even breaths; the white expanse of his white shirt pulling taut against his powerful chest with each inhale.

By the time you came back to your senses, Kylo had already ordered drinks for both of you, saving you from the trouble. He leaned back against the push booth walls, appraising you.

“So, how do you know Phasma?” He queried, the corner of his mouth lifting a little and prompting you with conversation.

You let out a small, breathy laugh as you remembered the story – the tension lifting a little more. “Hah, well I met her through my other friend,” you began, “it was his birthday. He never really celebrates them but that year he just decided to you know, just say _fuck it._ Anyway,” you inhaled, “we all met up at a bar, and I always get awkward around new people, so naturally, I drank as much as possible and I don’t know about you, but when someone holds your hair while you’re being violently sick – it creates an unbreakable bond. So, that’s how I met her.”

Kylo raised an eyebrow at your tale, clearly judging just how irresponsible you were. You smiled nervously, realizing that the story was maybe a little too gross for a little old lunch. _Fucking hell._ You couldn’t help but feel like you were making one fuck up after the other and you internally wished that you had just lied, giving a rather ‘blah’ and typical story instead.

A blush tinted the tops of your cheeks, “sorry, I shouldn’t be talking about uh, vomit, and stuff on the first date.” The word left your mouth before you realized it. _DATE?_ Is that what this was? You felt incredibly unsure now, wringing your hands.

The expression on his face was impenetrable. “Is that what this is?” he hummed, tilting his head to the side slightly.

The blush had now erupted into a bright red all over your face. Isn’t that what this is? Damn it, you’d really blown it now.

“I- I mean, I d-don’t-”

“You don’t think so?” He was now clearly enjoying your struggle, watching your red face with intensity with a wolfish grin full of mirth on his face, “because I think so.”

A splutter left your mouth. “You bastard!” you gasped quietly, half laughing. Relief flooded your system in a flash.

“Sorry, angel, I couldn’t help myself.”

Your heart increased in its tempo at the nickname – the very same he used the previous night.

After this moment, it all fell into place more. Gentle conversation hummed from the pair of you, with the addition of a few witty quips from both parties. It was a pleasant sound, the tinkering of laughter amongst the sound of cutlery and plates – the only slight mishap was when you brought up the subject of family, but you were quick to drop it when you saw his reaction. You didn’t even notice how much you were opening up; something you hadn’t done for a long time. Time had passed quickly and now you were both simply talking over empty plates. While the food was delectable, the conversation was more addictive.

A quiet sigh of content left your lungs as you inhaled the outdoor air. You didn’t want this moment to end, however, it’d be unfair to leave Finn, Poe, and Rose alone. It only took a moment for Kylo to join you, as his large frame emerged from behind the door. One of your hands subconsciously reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear as your eyes flitted up towards him.

You were just about to open your mouth when he interrupted you.

“Want me to walk you back?” he offered.

“Hah, I could work miles away for all you know,” you smirked in response, “luckily, I’m not far. I’d like it if you did.”

You and he walked the course towards your bakery/café/house combo, mainly in silence. It wasn’t the uncomfortable type, but the type where you just basked in someone else’s presence, it was such a simple thing, but it was a thing that you were greatly unused to.

A good few years had passed since your last official and long-term relationship, and since then you had typically avoided them. It had nothing to do with heartbreak. Instead, you found it hard to fully open up to someone, to be comfortable. Even around Hux and Phasma part of you held back, never fully acting yourself. You had kept your guard up for such a long time that maybe you had forgotten who you were a little.

There was no good reason for the walls you built, it just seemed to happen. No one noticed because you were perfectly normal to them, happily chatting and smiling; it wasn’t their fault, they were just all used to the ‘you’ that you allowed them to see. Just because you were friendly and kind, it didn’t mean that you were being true to yourself.

You couldn’t remember the last time you ever even hugged someone for the hell of it.

A small, subtle frown tugged at your lips, hardly realizing how close you were to your destination. A slight nudge caught your attention. You lifted your chin to look at Kylo who looked down at you with slightly raised brows. A silent question of ‘ _you okay_?’

Your head jolted in a nod, a silent ‘ _fine_ ’ in response.

A few seconds later you were standing in front of your store. “Um, thank you for lunch,” you said quietly, “I’ll treat you next time?”

“Sounds good,” he agreed, before pausing and rummaging in his pocket for a moment, pulling out a scrap piece of paper and pen, jotting something down, “here.” He handed you the paper (an old receipt, it seemed), written on it was his mobile number. Who would’ve thought he carried around old receipts in his suit jacket? You thought he would be more organized, kind of similar to Hux’s behavior. A smile bloomed on your face.

“I’ll add it as soon as I get in.” You looked up at him, shyly, through your eyelashes.

“Until next time, then?” Kylo said, smiling down at you with his dark eyes luminous in the afternoon sun.

“Until next time.” You confirmed, bobbing your head in agreement. Every fiber of your body hummed with anticipation and excitement, it startled you a little over how quickly you were already falling.

He began to move away, turning around to walk back to his work but looked over his shoulder. His hand wandered through his hair again, pushing it back a little with his eyes shining with amusement, a grin matching it.

“I’ll see you around then, angel.”

Your face went beet red, noticing his reference to the night prior. Unable to say anything, you watched him walk off and vanish around a corner. _Damn._ What a strange, gorgeous bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!! <3   
> pls tell me if i messed something up. pls.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kylo ren has problems and he needs a hug. he's also a fucking idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOPSY good things apparently don't last long....   
> anyway. this chapter is late. very late. but it's here now? I GUESS?
> 
> thanks to anyone who's reading, of course! <3

The very next week, you did indeed take him for lunch. A place a little less extravagant but Kylo didn’t seem to be bothered.

The week after that, he took you out again.

And so that pattern continued for a while, and it provided you a sense of stability and contentment. The little dates only provided a small amount of time for the two of you to share, and it was barely enough to content you now. There was also something beginning to irk you, something scratching at the lining of your stomach; you had yet to receive any clarification on what this relationship meant.

In all honesty, you were terrified of the whole, ‘ _what am I to you?’_ talk. It seemed confrontational and awkward. You were also afraid that it would cause the stability you had worked so hard for to crumble and disintegrate – you were unsure what you would do if it did fall. For once in your life, you hadn’t provided a safety net for you to fall back on if things did go wrong.

You swallowed the fear down. Now was not the time for a downhill spiral. It was a rare occasion tonight, after all.

Kylo Ren had invited you to a work event. It was out of town, and so you were staying in a hotel room and Kylo appeared determined to remain a gentleman by getting a separate room. Secretly, you were a little disappointed. But you could hardly complain. The hotel was lavish and immaculate, it had taken you almost half an hour to figure out how the hell the shower worked. Meanwhile, back home, your trustworthy crew was taking over the café for a couple of days. They were capable, and when you had asked, agreed immediately; they were adamant that you deserved some time off. Phasma was meant to attend, but she had pulled out and you suspected it had something to do with that man she’d cornered on Halloween. Love was really in the air, huh?

Your hands smoothed over the skirt of your dress; the silky red material felt cool underneath your fingertips. You had been warned multiple times that this event was a little extreme and excessive, therefore you had gone all out on the dress. It was a perfect long A-line dress, made of blood-red satin. The neckline was square with a V-neck cut-out at the front, dipping down to give a slight tease of your cleavage. A belt was fastened around the waist. It was decorative in its equally red satin and gold buckle and clasp. You paired the dress with an old pair of teardrop earrings, glittering in clear crystals. You’d also purchased a matching red faux leather purse with golden, shining clasps and zips.

The money you spent was well worth it. You grinned giddily into the mirror, evaluation and inspecting ever single detail and taking in your appearance, giving a quick twirl to watch the silken material whirl around you. It wasn’t often that you dared to consider yourself pretty, but right this moment? You felt beautiful. Invincible and ethereal. Your mind wandered, internally hoping that Kylo would feel the same.

A knock at your door caused you to turn around quickly. It was brief but firm. Speak of the devil. You hurried to the door excitedly, grasping the door to yank it open.

Kylo Ren stood on the opposite end, towering over you in an immense expanse of black. His suit was entirely black, the lapels of his suit jacket were notched and somehow just a few shades darker than the rest of his ensemble. His dark, thick hair was brushed backward a little, soft waves reaching his shoulders. He combed over you with his eyes, his lips curved in a smile, and his eyebrows raised ever so slightly.

“Hi.” You said although it was so quiet that you wondered if he even heard you. You’d suddenly felt a bit shy, all dressed up in front of him. You tilted your head down while smiling as you become increasingly aware of the blush that brushed your cheekbones.

One of his large hands reached out to lift your chin. You felt your face flare-up in an even deeper red as he brushed his thumb over the side of your face affectionately. “You look incredible tonight.” He told you.

You looked him dead in the eye, a small playful smirk now forming on your face, “only tonight?” you teased lightly, slowly leaning into his touch.

“You knew what I meant,” the man scoffed jokingly, taking his hands away from you and crossing his arms over his broad chest. He smirked at your reaction to the retraction of his affection, your expression showing a subtle pout. A strand of his dark hair fell out of its neat arrangement as he tossed his head back a little.

You tutted loudly at his clear amusement. “Hm, well you’re not so bad yourself,” you said as your courage built, “all black suits you.” Standing on your toes, you reached up to brush the strand of hair back into place, taking your time for your hand to graze over his skin gently and slowly. Once you were satisfied you rocked back fully onto your feet.

Kylo had one brow raised at your bold movement. Clearing his throat, he offered his hand to you.

“Ready to go?” He asked, waiting for you to take his hand.

Nodding your head, you grasped his hand.

The journey to the event venue was conveniently close to the hotel, only consisting of a ten-minute drive. It didn’t surprise you, and you imagine Kylo did it on purpose so that an excessive amount of travel wasn’t necessary. You both stepped out of the doors of the taxi, inhaling the cool air.

The venue was, naturally, incredible. It was glorious in its white, decorative columns and intricate carvings. You immediately thought of ancient Greece… only not so ancient. There was certainly refreshing modernity to the building.

You looked towards Kylo who had now moved to stand beside you, also taking in the building. He must have felt your intrigue as he began pointing at different points of the building, discussing the terminology and such. This sort of this was by no means your expertise, so you were content to just stand for a moment and listen. He uttered things about vertical fluting and triglyphs; you could barely keep up.

It was soothing to listen to the deep growl of his voice. You simply reveled in it.

When he finished his brief discussion, he looked at you, “you didn’t get any of that, did you?”

Raising your hands in surrender, you laughed. “I mean…” you hummed, trailing off at the end, “not really. At all. But I suppose there can only be one architecture expert between the two of us.”

He nodded deeply, “and only one baking expert, of course.”

You pondered briefly, pinching your chin between your finger and thumb, “well, I’ve never seen you make anything, for all I know you could be a pro!”

“That’s _definitely_ not the case.” He replied, chuckling.

Raising one eyebrow, you made a mental note to ask him why. Right now, it was about time to enter the building rather than just stand and talk about it. Almost sensing your thoughts he put his hand on the small of your back and guided you into the entrance. The interior was just as grand as the exterior, and you were immensely impressed. It had a strong feeling of royalty, the design rich in golds and reds.

Feeling a little out of your depth, you moved closer to Kylo. You bumped into his side a little while doing this and immediately noticed something. He seemed to be standing a little taller, a little more rigidly than usual. You thought it was best not to mention it, after all, it could just be a matter of acting the part of being the big boss.

You noticed that many people greeted him with deep respect, bowed heads, and all. That was a little odd in your opinion, but then again being the owner of the company and, in general, a famous architect kind of demanded respect anyway. You mentally shrugged and kept walking. Technically, it was more of a brisk jog as you attempted to keep up with his immense strides. He didn’t even need to be name-checked, and apparently neither did you, as he walked straight past and through the glass-paneled double doors.

You and he entered into the main hall which was full of people in fancy formal attire. Kylo was certainly right about everything being _excessive._ While the majority of men were dressed in crisp suits, the woman floated around in dresses that looked as if they had been taken of an haute couture runway. Actually, they probably did.

A flush of self-consciousness buzzed through you, causing you to clench a fistful of red skirt fabric in your hands. The pressure on the small of your back increased with a gentle squeeze. You allowed the gesture to relax you, and once you did his hand vanished from your body.

“I think you should meet some people,” Kylo said, peering down at you.

 _Ah, fuck, people._ You weren’t drunk enough to cope with them right now, and it worried you. Instantly, you shot Kylo an anxious, pleading look of ‘ _fuck no, please and thank you’._ You were met with a tight smile.

“You do realize you’re at a formal party,” he stated, “did you really expect not to _talk_ to people?”

Your mouth twisted in worry, “I’m just a little worried because they’re all so…” you made a gesture with your hands, hopefully conveying your feelings towards people accumulated here. Fancy, rich… _‘and better than me’_ your mind added. Fuck you, brain. Asshole.

“I’m sure that you’ll be okay, as long as you don’t slap their ass in greeting.”

Flushing red, you remembered your initial meeting with Kylo, “y-yeah, but that turned out pretty well, right?”

He gave a knowing look in return as he began to walk towards the dreaded first set of people.

Thankfully, there were only two people: a man and a woman. The man, you found out, was named Dopheld Mitaka. He had rather gentle features and rich, trustworthy eyes, which was a weird thing to notice but it made sense to you. The woman was named Rae Sloane. She spoke sternly and proudly, her dark eyes equal in these feelings. They were both intriguing characters and you had a little more fun than you had initially thought to talk to them. More Mitaka than Sloane. She scared you a little, reminding you of a strict teacher or something along those lines.

You swiftly were moved on after around 15 minutes, on to the next few people.

An hour later, you were a little socially exhausted. That was an understatement. Kylo had now taken you to the bar section to get a drink. It was a relief to finally have something to soothe your nerves.

“I think that’s enough people,” he huffed, just as wilted as you, “I don’t think I can do anymore.”

“Hah, you’re the one who wanted to in the first place,” you leaned on the bar a little, “ _did you really expect not to talk to people?”_ You attempted your best imitation of his voice.

In reply, he gave incoherent grumbles, until he paused. He looked overly alert, cautious. Suddenly his back stiffened, even more, tensed, and strained. You saw his fist clasp a little tighter on the glass he was holding. His jaw was set and clenched. His hissed whisper was barely audible, but you managed to catch it, “ _he wasn’t meant to be here tonight._ ”

You looked at him in slight alarm, “what’s the matter? Who wasn’t meant to be here?”

Before he could reply, a man was approaching him. His eyes were a steely, cold, and emotionless, face set in an almost constant pursed frown of disgust. The man’s hair was silver, varying in dark and light tones. You felt a shiver go down your spine. _Instant dislike._

“Mr. Ren, I wasn’t expecting you to attend this evening.” His voice was stiff and proper, he seemed unashamed of even hiding his remark.

“The feeling is mutual, Pryde,” Kylo replied coolly, matching the man’s tone of disdain. You couldn’t help but duck away from the confrontation, chilled by the sudden change of Kylo’s voice.

“And who is this you’ve brought with you?” Pryde queried, “Interesting little thing, I don’t quite recognize her.”

If Kylo wasn’t already tense, he was now. “She’s new to the company, I’m simply showing her around these types of events.” He lied blatantly.

You found it difficult to cover your disbelief at his response. _What the fuck?_ Why wasn’t he being honest? Was he fucking embarrassed by you or what? You clenched your fist behind your back.

“Hm, is that so?” the silver-haired man mused. His eyes were narrowed, analytical.

“It is.”

The reply from Kylo was blunt, clearly ending the already brief conversation. With a sickly curious expression, Pryde shrugged and stalked away, although not without you catching his glare as he moved past. As soon as he was far enough away, you broke the silence.

“Why did you lie?” Your voice was quieter than normal, tinged with hurt.

“You wouldn’t understand.” The voice that spoke to you in reply was different from usual, almost distant. The warm, deep rumble was gone and, in its place, was a harsh emptiness.

“I’d at least like to give it a shot,” you told him heatedly, nose scrunching in irritation, “I’m not completely stupid.”

Kylo gave you a stony look, “right now, you’re acting like you _are_ stupid.”

Shocked, your mouth dropped open a little, gaping. Where did that come from? Who was this man standing before you? What happened to him in mere seconds? You’d known him for over a month at this point and never had you experienced whatever _this_ was.

“That’s out of line, Kylo.” Your voice shook a little, stepping back from him while shaking your head. How did he find it so difficult to explain something to you? You’d never shown any sign of judgment or disbelief at anything he’d said before, so why was he acting like this? Why wouldn’t he just _tell_ you? “Does my job embarrass you? Am I not good enough for you?”

He scoffed in reply. It wasn’t a playful kind that he had used just a few hours ago in the hotel room. Instead, it was cold and cruel. His eyes were dark and dull as he bore into yours.

You reached out to snatch your purse from the surface of the bar where you had left it. “You know what? I thought that this,” you gestured towards the both of you, “was actually going okay, but clearly, I was mistaken. J-just, fuck you.”

It took an effort to not burst into tears in front of him as you gave him one last hard look before you turned on your heel and strode away from him. Your heart clenched painfully with each step, and as soon as you broke out the door you felt your bottom lip tremble with might. The dam had broken. You wiped furiously at the stupid tears falling down your cheeks, gritting your teeth.

Fuck feelings, fuck your weak, soft heart, and most importantly: fuck Kylo Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooooo sad times bruh...  
> thanks for reading if you here tho <333


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble awaits you, but so does refuge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm in liam payne but the liam is silent.
> 
> AIGHT, so in this chapter:  
> tw: sexual assault 
> 
> uhh idk what else to put in notes, except i constantly feel the need to ramble here. but i won't. my rambling is insufferable and no one should have to put up with it. 
> 
> either way; thank you if you're reading! whether you're new or reoccurring! we're on over 70 kudos which is COOL COOL COOL. better than i deserve! either way big thanks to everyone who reads, bookmarks, subscribes, kudos and comments!

Apparently, a brief and pleasant ten-minute drive was equivalent to a miserable thirty-minute walk.

It was only ten minutes into your walk, but your feet felt heavy as you ambled down the streets, the tender flesh of your feet snagging against your heels. The pain throbbed, and there was probably going to be blisters in the morning, yet you had more pressing issues.

The tears on your face had now dried, and the initial shock and upset had now turned into a simmering, seething rage. You were beyond angry – the feeling heating you, making you invulnerable to the cool chill of the night-time air. _How could he do that_? Mentally, you cursed Kylo Ren with every swear you could conjure up.

Expelling a heavy sigh from your lungs, you glanced down to your phone screen. You squinted to focus on the directions, focusing against the blare of the light against the inky darkness. Normally, you wouldn’t walk alone at night, but you were feeling to pent up and stubborn to hail a taxi. You also didn’t feel very threatened when every look thrown at you was one of pity or sympathy as they saw your tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes – however, it only fuelled your bad mood. The next person to give you one of those _looks,_ you were going to plow the stiletto heel of your shoe directly through their eye socket.

The last twenty minutes of your walk went by without an issue, the map on your phone guiding you perfectly towards your hotel.

Reaching the large double doors of the hotel, you hovered, switching your phone from maps to the camera. Using the front camera, you guided your hand to rub at the makeup that had smudged under your eyes. There was only one method you could think of that could clear your mind: getting drunk. You knew that it wasn’t a healthy coping mechanism, but you didn’t do it frequently and it sure as hell worked.

You fished around in your purse to double-check that you still carried your bank card before slipping through the doors. Collecting yourself, you strode towards the bar. Despite the time, the area was still humming with life. Naturally, an expensive hotel like this one accommodated prestigious and affluent guests. You just silently hoped that you blended in decently.

The red silk of your dress drifted behind you, rippling with your movements until you came to a halt, politely telling the bartender your order. You waited for a few moments before the drink was slid towards you while you leaned over to pay. As soon as you picked it up, you looked around, suddenly realizing that you had no idea where to sit. Or stand. Your awkwardness was starting to settle in, and you needed to fix it. Still partly leaning on the bar, you gave a subtle, sweeping glance around the room.

Ah, there. There was an empty chesterfield sofa not too far away; its leather was a deep, rich coffee color. You sat alone, crossing your ankles elegantly. Initially, you found that sitting by yourself was weird, but after three or four more drinks your head swam pleasantly.

Glancing towards your phone, you frowned at the notifications.

Three missed calls from Kylo.

You quickly cleared them. Part of you felt immensely guilty for doing so, but you hadn’t forgotten his cruel words so quickly. In short: fuck him.

Now, on your fifth drink, you sat more comfortably, fiddling with your earrings in a thoughtful daze. Or as thoughtful you could be in your half-drunk, tipsy state. Your eyes followed people as they slowly filtered out yet paid little attention. You allowed your body to sway to the ambient music that hummed in the background; some acoustic cover of a song you didn’t know.

Unfortunately, you hadn’t noticed that you’d gained an extra set of eyes until you swept your own eyes across the room of people. The contact was immediate but lasted only a moment, you felt yourself shiver. The man's stare was intense and unsettling. You instantly place on a cold, dead expression and drawing your attention to your phone. Typical girl code for ‘ _leave me the fuck alone_ ’. Yet, you couldn’t quite shake the way he looked at you, the little ugly smirk on his face.

You heard footsteps approach you, even over the hustle and bustle. Instinctively, you hoisted your phone screen even close to your face, faking deep interest in your collection of apps that you flicked through nervously before opening up your texts and typing odd, random strings of texts. These maneuvers did little to deter the stranger.

Without invitation, he sat clumsily, directly next to you. Your body stiffened but continued to ignore his very existence. _Fuckkk, take the hint, take the hint…_

“Hey.” The man spoke, his voice was drawling and hushed as he leaned forwards to whisper into your ear.

Shuddering, you turned your head to give him a tight-lipped, polite smile and nothing else.

“Not even gonna give me a hello? I think you owe me that much, sweetie,” he purred, “dressing like such a tease.”

You thought you were going to be sick, but you simply curled your lip into a less than friendly grimace before speaking with alcohol-influenced courage, “you think wearing a floor-length gown is being a tease? How fucking pathetic.”

There was an instant change in his demeanor, you saw his nasty eyes narrow at you as his tongue swiped harshly over the fronts of his teeth. “Nasty little bitch, aren’t you?” he hissed, making a quick attempt to press his hands up the slit in your dress skirt. You made a quick movement to block his unwanted advances, bashing the side of your phone against his wrist causing him to reel back angrily.

With impressive speed you scooted away from him, standing up and clasping your phone and back tight to your chest. “You sick fuck!” you seethed quietly, not wanting to make too much of a scene.

He attempted to reach for your wrist, but you backed away just in time, turning your body to walk hurriedly towards the elevator up to your floor. Your hands shook as you furiously pressed at the button, ramming the close button with such force you thought your finger was going to break.

“Going somewhere, _sweetie_ ,” the man smirked, his voice condescending, jamming his arm between the door to prevent them from closing, “that’s _very_ rude of to run off like that.”

With that, the stranger slipped in and closed the distance between the both of you.

_This fancy fucking hotel better have cameras in here._

His hands slammed against the elevator walls, directly beside your head and you moved to shove him off. He caught your hands with one of his own and held them tightly together. His breath was hot against your neck as he chuckled. Your mind raced, glancing up to the sign dictating which floor you were at. Nearly there.

Ding! The chime of the elevator door opening was like music to your ears. In one brutal movement, you brought your knee up and hit him directly in the balls. Instantly, he let go of you but recovered fast, however you’d already spotted your second opportunity.

You seized it with delight. Grasping the back of the stumbling man's head, just at the nape of his neck, you brought your knee up again with harder force. The pain of a grown man's skull against your knee was nothing compared to the pure satisfaction. Quickly, you turned on the spot and sprinted out towards your room. Mid-run, you fumbled in your back for the key card. Shit. You glanced backward and the man was only just exiting the elevator with a bloody face, pursuing with a vengeance.

Roughly, you shook the contents of your bag onto the floor in a desperate attempt. Nothing. Now the fear hit you, strong as tidal waves. Your hands shook a little as you stepped slowly backward from the approaching man, your eyes watering on the verge of tears for the second time tonight.

Just as the bloody nosed man passed the staircase, a figure leaped from the stairwell. The mysterious figure tackled the man's legs, taking him down the floor with a sickening thud. To say that the mysterious figure was huge was an understatement. The man was tall, full of muscle and bulk, his shoulders broad. The hair on his head was tousled and you caught a glimpse of a well-formed beard.

The thunder of more feet came from the stairs as the tall, muscular man pinned your perpetrator to the ground.

In response, you simply gawked with wide eyes. Soon one, two, three, four, _five_ others hurried up the stairs, breathing heavily with effort. One instantly moved towards the first to help him with the struggling, pinned man.

“Hah, nice tackle, Trudgen!” you heard the man shout while you continued to just stare in a state of pure shock. That man had light olive skin and clearly put a lot of effort into his hair, without a single strand out of place. It looked so soft.

One of the remaining four approached you slowly with raised hands.

“You alright, miss?” When he spoke your surname, you blinked slowly in confusion.

You opened and closed your mouth, unsure of what to say. How did he know who you were? How did they know you needed help? All that exited your mouth was a small, throaty whine.

“Shit,” he whispered under his breath as he took another step towards you, his pale eyes watching you with worry, “we work for our boss, uh, y’ know, Mr. Ren. My call name is Ap’lek.”

Kylo? What did he have to do with all of _this?_ You exhaled a soft oh, your lips pouted softly. “What are you all-? How did you know that I-?” you stuttered softly, unsure of what to ask first. Gently you pressed your fingers against your eyes, feeling overwhelmed.

“It’s okay, we’ll explain it all as soon as you’re calm, s'that alright? Let’s get you into your room.” Ap’lek hummed.

“No key.” You said bluntly, staring uselessly at the items you’d tipped onto the floor. Looking upwards, you realized that the man needed a little more context, his head was tilted, and face screwed up in confusion. “I must’ve dropped it somewhere…” you whispered, your lips thinning into a worried line.

The bearded man named Trudgen spoke up, his voice unwavering despite him wrestling a man to the ground, “the boss is _totally_ gonna kill us, Ap.”

“And why would I do that?”

The familiar deep, rich rumble of Kylo’s voice caused you to snap out of your haze and immediately thrust you into flashbacks of the words he’d said to you, how he behaved towards you. You blinked the newly forming tears from your eyes as you turned your head away.

Unfocused, you barely heard his anger towards your perpetrator, barely heard the words he swore, and the violent things he wished he could do to him. You barely acknowledged the man being dragged into the elevator again, the pack of men filing in as well.

You heard Kylo swear softly and pace quickly towards you.

From the corner of your eye, you saw one of his large hands come up to caress the side of your face. You swatted it away without looking. The close contact with him caused you to tremble a little more, your heart pattering speedily in your chest. You had to bite your lip to keep it from trembling. If it weren’t for Kylo and his men, you’d be in an unfavorable situation right now, but that didn’t excuse his actions. Swallowed, still avoiding his eye.

“How dare you.” The voice that escaped you was raspy from the emotions you were bottling. Your hands by your side clenched into fists.

Your words took Kylo by surprise, as he opened his mouth to speak but you cut him off.

“How fucking dare you say all that shit to me, behave that way to me?!” You inhaled shakily, ready to spill your feelings. “You didn’t even offer a slither of an explanation! You’ve led me all this way over the past weeks, made me think that you _gave a shit_ about me. I wouldn’t be so fucking angry if you just, I don’t know, helped me understand? But you wouldn’t even give it ago. Instead, you ridiculed me, called me an idio-”

“Listen, please, I didn’t mean to call you anything, it just-”

You fumed, “it just what, Kylo? Just slipped out?” The end of your sentence croaked with emotion as you stifled a sob. “You do all that shit only to appear out of nowhere with an entire army of men to stop me being…” In an instant you fell silent, not wanting to fill out the sentence of what could’ve happened. The true horror of reality knocked the air out of your lungs, leaving you gasping.

Kylo stepped towards you instantly, drawing you into the dark and warm expanse of his chest. His strong arms were fastened tightly around you, creating a wall of safety.

The sobs heaved from your chest, your shoulders shaking with each inhale. You couldn’t help but tuck your head deep against his suit, burying your face into the fabric and inhaling his scent. Rosewood and coffee. Sweet and bitter. His heartbeat was soothing; soft and consistent. Both of your arms were pulling him against you, desperate and drained.

One of his hands moved to stroke your hair, carefully petting it with the backs of his fingers. You felt his chest expand in a large inhale. “I’ll tell you everything, I promise, I- I just need to…”

It was clear that he wasn’t used to this sort of vulnerability, and despite everything, you gave a small smile against his chest. “It’s okay, we’ll talk about it in the morning.” You spoke softly to him, voice muffled against his black suit jacket.

The tension from his body released with relief. His lips gently pressed against your forehead – a sign of affection he’d never shown you until now. You were significantly calmer now; your breaths were even and didn’t shake so much. Your hands stopped trembling and your sobs had quietened to meager sniffles.

“Ap’lek told me you’d lost your key card?” Kylo hummed, his tone teasing as he attempted to lighten the mood a little.

You made a small noise of confirmation and a muffled apology.

A small laugh left him, causing his chest to buzz pleasantly against your face. “Would you feel comfortable staying with me? I- uh if not, we can go down and-”

He stopped stuttering when he felt you nod against his chest. You also stifled a large, exhausted yawn just after. “I’m really fucking tired,” you told him, “can we go to sleep now?”

“Of course.”

He led you through the corridors to where his room was stationed, using his card to open the doors and move inside.

Asking for something to wear in favor of ruining your dress, Kylo threw one of his shirts towards to, quickly swiveling around so that you could change. The shirt was much too big for you, but it carried his familiar scent upon it and enveloped you with the feeling of _him._

You slipped silently under the sheets, making yourself comfortable while he moved around the bathroom getting changed. He emerged moments later, shirtless with black sweatpants hanging just under his hips. Without saying a word he moved to the unoccupied side of the bed, hesitating while considering whether to lie with you or exile himself to the sofa or another piece of furniture.

Feeling his inner turmoil, you reached up to grasp his hand and pulled him down onto the bed while muttering something about not wanting to be alone. He made a small grunt as he hit the mattress but got the suggestion as he slid his long legs underneath the sheets. You could feel him keep his distance, not wanting to push your boundaries after such a night but right now, you craved comfort.

Everything would be clear in the morning.

Sliding towards him, you snuggled tightly against his bare chest with one of your arms draped over him.

Just hours ago you’d never felt so far apart. But now, you both felt closer than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so things worked out okay, huh? and you met the knights.   
> they're a lovely bunch and not as murderous as their canon alter egos! 
> 
> i hope you liked this chapter! thanks again!   
> as usual, if you see an oopsy in there, pls tell me because i hate proofreading my own work iS JUST EMBARASSING AND AWKWARD OKAY <333


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A discussion is had, and things are explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> where have i been? i dont know.  
> I'm just lazy, and its all my fault tbh hahaha sorrryyyyy  
> ALSO  
> 1000 hits?? heyyy, that's pretty good :) ty to anyone who has read, or even just clicked!
> 
> ALSO  
> i forgot to put this in notes twice, but the dress inspo:  
> https://vg-images.condecdn.net/image/MedEe0zKBJk/crop/810/f/_ARC0205.jpg

It took a while for sleep to claim you.

Only now were you truly acknowledging the close proximity you shared with Kylo Ren. You could feel his taut muscles shifting under his skin, the way his chest moved slowly and cautiously – as if he were trying to move you as little as possible.

Moving the hand that you had draped over him, you pressed your fingers against his side and pulling him closer. You felt him flinch ever so slightly at the sudden contact. He quickly relaxed as you kneaded the flesh comfortingly with gentle movements of your fingers. You talked with your actions, willing the pair of you to relax and stop overthinking each moment.

Exhaustion made your limbs heavy as you lay still against him, but yet you still peaked upwards towards him with one eye to roam over his features. His face was relaxed, with no tightness in his jaw as usual. Everything was unusually soft.

His head was slightly elevated by soft pillows, dark hair framing his face perfectly. A tired smile graced your lips as he opened his eyes, catching you staring at him.

Feeling a little embarrassed, you buried your face into his chest even further, your face flushing slightly.

Kylo chucked. A low sound that vibrated through you. You forced yourself to memorize everything about this, absolutely everything. The talk tomorrow wasn’t going to be fun and games. Tomorrow in general was a sea full of uncertainties. You wished there was a way of making everything okay, or at least knowing that everything will turn out fine. But you supposed that wasn’t how life panned out.

A strong hand caressed your lower back. Your eyelids soon became difficult to open, and just like that, you fell asleep.

Waking up was more difficult than falling asleep. Your body had barely moved position during your sleep, still remaining comfortably tucked up next to Kylo, and you hadn’t drunk enough last night to give you a hangover – the only sign was a slightly dry feeling in your mouth. He was still motionless, except for slight twitches in his sleep and deep, quiet breaths. Kissing his shoulder lightly, you moved carefully away from him – finding it difficult to untwine your limbs.

You were so close to fully emerging from your tight embrace when a pair of hands shot out and pulled you close into his chest, causing you to collapse onto him heavily with an unflattering squeak of surprise.

“Where’re you going?” Kylo hummed into your hair, his voice was husky and deep with sleepiness.

“I was just going to the toilet, damn it,” you jokingly huffed, pretending to be angry, “now unhand me.”

“Hmm, just a little longer?”

You sighed, but didn’t find the heart to reject him, “fine.”

His mouth pulled into a smile as he pressed a slow, delicate kiss on your forehead. One of his hands snaked up your thigh, causing you to squirm against him. His other hand attempted to slip under your oversized shirt, but you batted it away playfully.

“Not sure if you want to try that right now,” you whispered, “I _really_ need to pee.”

In reply, Kylo made a noise of yielding which sounded remarkably like a frustrated growl of sorts. You smirked as you wriggled free from his grip, sliding off the bed with more grace than you expected but you were also met with a thrumming ache in your knee.

The unexpected pain caused you to huff and furrow your brow.

“What is it?” his voice was suddenly more awake, more alert.

“Shit, it’s nothing, I think I kneed that fucker in the nose _real_ hard last night.”

“Oh, yeah, you totally busted his nose. Here,” he reached for his phone from a stand at the side of the bed, “the guys sent me a photo.”

He held the photo out to you, and you squinted to view it properly. Sure enough, the man’s nose was a bloodied mess, but the more you looked at it, the more you remembered last night's events. A chill ran through your veins. You blinked at it slowly.

“You okay?”

The sound of Kylo’s voice snapped you into reality, causing you to snap your gaze to him quickly, “fine!” you replied, a little too quickly.

Immediately, he pocked his phone, shifting into a sit and scooting towards you so that he could cup your face. “Shit, I-” he uttered, “I shouldn't have shown you.”

You leaned down so that your forehead touched his, you kept your voice quiet and unwavering when you spoke “it’s fine, it’s not your fault.”

You watched as his mouth twisted into a guilty grimace, no longer soft and careless as before. That sight caused a small slight to escape you. Your hands moved so that they cupped his own that lingered around your face.

“If I hadn’t said, i-if I just-”

“I meant what I said. The man last night? It wasn’t your fault.” You managed to cut him off before he could finish his line of thought.

“But still, if I hadn’t, shit, if I hadn’t upset you, none of this would’ve happened!”

You frowned as his voice increased in volume near the end of his sentence. It was difficult to contradict his words, after all, they did hold some truth – but still, the way he shifted the blame purely onto himself felt indescribably wrong.

A few seconds passed as you thought, “even if you didn’t upset me, men like that would still be out there, Kylo,” you kept your voice soft as possible, “I know you want to, but you can’t protect me from everything out there.”

“Anyone who hurts you will pay.” His teeth were gritted as he made eye contact with you, his dark irises brimming with fire and determination. His jaw was clenched tight, and his brows pulled tightly down. You would’ve felt intimidated if his anger was directed towards you.

Your lips brushed the tip of his nose affectionately, stepping back to admire everything about him. The morning light filtering through the curtains complemented his complexion, sunbeams shining in all their golden glory; creating a soft glow that outlined his face.

_Pretty._

With one last smile, you backed off into the bathroom.

After using the toilet, you washed your hands briskly before popping your head out of the door to ask Kylo a question. The words, however, died in your throat immediately.

You were met with Kylo Ren’s towering and completely nude form. He was facing away from you, slightly folded over as he pulled his sweatpants off his legs. You made a small cough to bring attention to your presence which resulted in him whipping around to face you in surprise.

Your eyes blatantly stared at him, never tearing away – completely distracted. You nibbled at the bottom of your lip slightly as you felt your whole body heat up.

“Looking at something?” he questioned, feigning obliviousness.

If you weren’t scarlet before, you certainly were now but you kept your cool in the form of indifference. “I was, but it was nothing impressive” you smirked at him.

His dark brows raised in mock offense, turning away again to continue getting changed. The silence that washed over now was comfortable, neither of you forced to fill it. You were happy to work around him as you got changed as well, going through a list of mundane morning tasks. In the tranquillity, your mind wandered to your little café. Was it all running smoothly? Perhaps you should text Finn to checkup? A smile played on your lips as you imagined your small team all working as usual, with their typical sarcastic and playful quips and jokes.

Deciding to text Finn, you moved to find your phone, searching throughout the hotel room. Eventually, you found it tucked in your purse. The battery was dwindling slightly, but it wasn’t anything to be alarmed about – 38% was good enough for you.

Swiftly typing in the password, the phone unlocked. Your hands clutched your phone tighter, the soft pads of your fingertips pressing into it. In your rambling panic last night, you’d send multiple strings of messages to Kylo. All your messages were random, darting from one subject to another in brief statements. You also noticed that he had replied with concerned replies.

_What?_

_What are you talking about?_

_Are you okay? Tell me, please?_

The final message caught your eye the most, however:

_They were meant to look after you – I’m on my way._

It didn’t take you long to piece things together. Did Kylo send those men to watch over you? Your brain raced, wondering why he would bother and, most important, who those men were.

Raising your head from the screen, the thought of texting Finn entirely vanishing from your brain, you glanced at Kylo.

“I think we should talk now,” you spoke firmly and confidently, making sure to maintain eye contact with him.

There was a shift in both his appearance and behavior, these things didn’t slip past you. His shoulders tensed and hunched a little – defensive and protective. Teeth clenched together so subtly that was almost artful, face paling by only a fraction. His throat bobbed nervously, and his eyes averted yours, but only for a single split second.

They were such small, seemingly insignificant mannerisms but you knew what they meant. It meant that the man was preparing for the worst, preparing himself to harden over into emotionlessness. He was prepared to build his walls up.

You were prepared to keep them down or break them down.

“Okay.” He spoke at last. His voice was quiet, but also somehow deeper than usual – as if he were almost forcing the words out. Truthfully, you loathed how quickly the atmosphere could change; one minute everything was content and the next minute… The room was spilling with a deadly serious tension.

Slowly, you sank onto the edge of the bed – patting a space beside it to beckon him to sit with you. A beat passed, but he soon moved to join you. Relieved, you shot him a small smile of thanks.

“So,” you started, “last evening, at the party.”

One of his huge hands raked through his hair as he shifted his sitting position slightly, avoiding your gaze.

“I regret everything I did and said to you,” it was a plain sentence, hardly enough to go on and it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. You wanted, no, you needed an explanation of some sort – something that explained why he turned on you so suddenly.

“I… I just want to know why.”

“It’s hard to explain.”

Another blunt sentence. You swallowed anxiously as you became increasingly aware that he was already beginning to shut you out.

“Just try?” your voice was so quiet, strained with a strange sort of sadness – so much so that you almost didn’t recognize it, “for me? Please, Kylo.”

The deafening, long silence that followed your plead was almost enough to make you walk out, to save yourself the suffering and the pain. Almost. You were glad you stayed when he finally decided to speak.

“The man we were talking to… Enric Pryde,” his voice was laced with venom, “he’s a powerful man, too powerful.”

You blinked at him in confusion, “w-what does that mean?”

“He worked for me once a long time ago, I trusted him immensely,” the tall man rose from the bed and began pacing the room, “but that was a mistake.”

“Why? What happened?”

“He double-crossed me, turned out he was truly working for a fucking politician,” the tone of his voice got angrier and louder with each word, “together they… they plotted against me. Fucked up a huge deal for me for a high-profile client, and after that people quickly withdrew interest in the company.”

“Shit, I didn’t know…” you spoke softly, looking up at him from across the room with your head bowed a little.

“I know, I know, I didn’t expect you to. To be honest, hardly anyone knows. It was the early days of my career; I was barely keeping myself afloat – Pryde fucked me over and left me with almost _fucking nothing_.”

“But you rebuilt. You overcame their sabotage!”

Kylo’s lip curled at that, “yes I did, yet I can’t help but think that I only flourished because they allowed me to.”

Your head tilted in confusion, “but why are they letting you?”

“I don’t know,” you noticed that his voice had returned to a softer-spoken tone, “but I can’t risk putting you on his radar – I couldn’t endanger you like that. I had to make you look… impersonal. A mere green employee, fresh to the company. It was the easiest way to minimize you as a threat.”

“Hah, come on Kylo, what could he possibly do to me?”

He looked at you sharply, his eyes deadly serious and stern, “you don’t understand. Pryde and his _connections_ could ruin your career, your life! It would kill me to see that happen to you, to see everything you’ve worked for just… crumble.”

You looked away from him for a moment, taking this time to roll his words over in your head. With a heaving sigh, you looked up at him again with a small smile, “y’know what? I never knew that this whole architecture business could be so dramatic.” 

The high levels of tension dropped as he gave a relaxed smile at your comment, “we design extravagant buildings, it’s only fair that we create equally extravagant problems.”

There was such a blissful relief as you both laughed among yourselves, your head tilting back. It was clear that you both found his little jest a little too funny as it took multiple minutes for the laughter to die down. Hearing Kylo laugh was such a rare, small blessing. You seized the moment and committed it to your eternal memory.

“Oh, also!” You hummed to him, “I know you sent those guys to watch me.”

That caught him off guard a little, “O-oh, right, that-”

“I’m glad you did, they really helped me out last night.” You spoke quickly before he could either deny it or apologize.

“They took too long - they got distracted and lost sight of you, I was furious.”

“Don’t blame them too harshly, Kylo, they did still fix the problem.”

The only reply he gave was a small, doubting hum. He’d stopped pacing now, standing still just a small distance away. You stood and close the distance in a few steps.

“Thank you for telling me everything.” Reaching up on your toes, you kissed him gently on his jawline, making your way across to his lips. Teeth grazed against the plush flesh of his lips and you nibbled at them. You were soon rewarded by his enormous hands raveling into strands of your hair, pulling your needy mouth close to his own.

By the time you parted, the pair of you were panting heavily.

Kylo looked down into your eyes, the rich chocolate tone piercing into your own, “If that’s what I get for telling you, angel… I’m glad I did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!! sorry this chapter took so damnn long :)))
> 
> imagine if i wrote the actual fic like i type normally. lollll


End file.
